According to the announcement in the Verkehrsblatt issue 24/2021 of 30.12.2021 p. 1160 (StV 22/7345.s/22-1), the so-called gas test according to DVGW G 607, offered over the years by lobbyists of the Überwachungsorganisationen e.V. and the “Technische Diensten”, on the recommendation of the “Deutscher Verband Flüssiggas” (German Liquid Gas Association) as well as the “Zentralverband Karosserie-und Fahrzeugtechnik” (Central Association of Bodywork and Vehicle Technology) and others, is finally a thing of the past. This closed a lush source of money for all the organisations involved. According to the calculations of the GAGT e.V., about 660 million DM and Euro have been collected since the introduction of this investigation in 1976. Of course, the owners of motor caravans and caravans are now asking how it could be that the legislator, under the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMVI), including its department StV 22, has been watching these activities of associations for such a long time without taking any action? Once again, there seems to be a “suspicion” of “organised crime”. This will certainly have to be investigated by public prosecutors, if they dare to do so. Afterwards, of course, the owners of the damaged motor caravans and caravans will have to give an account of where the money went. In this context, however, the question must also be asked: who actually compensates the many course participants over the years, who of course have also completed training courses at the DVFG e.V. and ZKF, as well as other associations, in recent days?
One must also think about who all from the participating associations and organisations have been actively involved in this. It is obvious that such a system can only exist if many lobbyists exert pressure on the BMVI and the StV 22 department, and this is still the case today. The GAGT e.V. has written evidence that this is and was the case in the past. GAGT e.V. will continue to keep a close eye on what is now being done by associations to tap new sources of money at the expense of consumers. The next unresolved issue is the massive violations of the “Ortsbeweliche Druckgeräte-Verordnung” (ODV) (Ordinance on Portable Pressure Equipment) for years. Here, too, the gas industry has violated every conceivable legal requirement, combined with the failure of the “market surveillance authorities” of the federal states. GAGT e.V. will continue to work on a thorough clarification and reappraisal of this issue and will also bring Brussels on board in accordance with Regulation 2018/858/EU. Of course, we are still waiting for a response from the Federal Cartel Office, where our accusations have also been known for some time. The year 2022 will probably be very interesting and exciting, whereby it is to be hoped that the legislator will finally put his house in order and that the Federal and State Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles, together with the Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure and possibly also in consultation with the GAGT e.V., will come up with something sensible. After all, it is thanks to the GAGT e.V. that all the inconsistencies surrounding gas system tests for motor caravans and caravans were exposed. In future, there must be no more of the kind of retrofitting of gas systems according to the UN ECE R 115 regulation in conjunction with § 41a StVZO. This practice was also doomed to failure from the outset, although this failure was and still is seriously attributable to incompetence on the part of the federal states.
The manufacturers of motor caravans and caravans are now also called upon to amend their operating instructions for their vehicles. Many of them have also stipulated the gas system test according to DVGW G 607 for their customers as part of a purchase contract and thus an associated warranty and guarantees. Of course, one could also say, “Too bad, dear vehicle manufacturers, because they, as the holders of a type approval, should have known better. An enquiry at the Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA) would have sufficed.
If vehicle owners (motor caravans/caravans) are looking for or want legal assistance, we can warmly recommend the law firm Haug & Partner, Goethestraße 17/VI, in 80336 Munich. This law firm is very familiar with all procedures in the matter and enjoys the full confidence of the GAGT e.V. Here is the phone number 089 593081, fax 089 553953 and e-mail kanzlei@raehaug-partner.de.
signed. Peter Ziegler CEO
